What Is a Title Tag? How to Optimize Your SEO Titles

What Is a Title Tag?

A title tag (or <title> tag) is an HTML element that provides a webpage title for hunt engines and net browsers to use. It tin shows up successful 3 cardinal places:

• Search motor results pages (SERPs): The clickable header that appears successful Google hunt results
• Link previews: When the nexus is shared via societal media aliases messaging apps, the title tag appears arsenic portion of the preview
• Browser tabs: The matter displayed astatine the apical of the browser tab

This is what a title tag tin looks for illustration successful each 3 locations:

The superior intent of a title tag is to springiness discourse astir the page's contented to some users and hunt engines. 

Title tags springiness users a preview of what the page is about, which tin thief them determine whether to click connected the result.

They provides hunt engines pinch an overview of the webpage’s content. Helping hunt motor crawlers amended understand the page’s context.

Title tags are important for some SEO and user experience. Here are 4 main reasons:

• They tin impact your SEO rankings. Because hunt engines, specified arsenic Google, usage them to understand what your page is astir and really applicable that page is to each personification query.
• They tin look successful hunt results. Which intends they tin power the number of clicks you get (or your click-through rate). And searchers’ cognition of your brand.
• They tin look successful nexus previews. On societal media, messaging apps (like Slack), etc. If the title is missing aliases poorly optimized, users whitethorn beryllium little apt to click through.
• They look successful browser tabs. And thief users find the correct page erstwhile aggregate tabs are open. This tin straight effect personification experience.

Now that we’ve laid retired why title tags matter, let’s talk astir getting the magnitude conscionable right.

How Long Should a Title Tag Be?

Title tags should beryllium betwixt 50 and 60 characters (or 550 px) long.

That said, there’s nary strict characteristic limit for title tags.

SEO professionals mostly urge shorter title tags because longer ones tin get truncated (i.e., trim off) aliases rewritten by Google erstwhile displayed successful hunt results.

And a truncated title tag doesn’t ever convey the connection you want it to. Or pull clicks.

For example, this title tag sewage trim disconnected and now says, “Exploring The Future Of …” which doesn’t make a batch of sense.

So we urge keeping your title tag little while still giving readers and hunt engines capable accusation astir your page content.

4 Steps to Write a Good SEO Title Tag

Search engines for illustration Google rewrite title tags if they don’t afloat lucifer the contented aliases personification intent. 

While you can’t wholly power really Google displays your title, you tin summation the chances of your title showing up arsenic intended.

Follow these steps to constitute title tags that are some SEO-friendly and applicable to users:

1. Look astatine the Titles of Top-Ranking Search Results

Google your target keyword and observe the titles of the top-ranking results.

Pay attraction to the types of titles performing well. This will springiness you an thought of what title tags hunt engines for illustration for that circumstantial keyword.

Observe really apical results building their titles. Do they usage numbers aliases circumstantial words to entreaty to users?

Let’s opportunity you’re targeting "best task guidance tools."

A speedy Google hunt shows that top-ranking results person the pursuing characteristics:

• They see the words “best task guidance software”
• They incorporate a twelvemonth (2024 aliases 2025)

From that analysis, you whitethorn reason that including the twelvemonth successful your website title tag mightiness beryllium a smart move.

That said, debar making your title excessively akin to competitors’ titles. Instead, attraction connected penning a unsocial and engaging title that captures users' interests, encourages clicks, and describes your content.

2. Include Your Primary Keyword successful Your Title

Including your superior keyword successful your title tells some hunt engines and readers what your contented is about.

For example, if your superior keyword is "on-page SEO," including the nonstop keyword, "On-Page SEO," successful your title tag makes the intent of the page instantly clear to some users and hunt engines.

It besides makes it easier for users to find the page they’re looking for successful their browser tabs. 

But instrumentality to 1 target keyword successful the title tag. 

Cramming aggregate keywords into a title (a shape of keyword stuffing) tin wounded your rankings. That’s because hunt engines for illustration Google position this arsenic spammy behaviour and whitethorn penalize your page.

Even Google’s charismatic guidelines pass against keyword stuffing.

For example, this page title crams successful 3 different keywords: "weighted blankets," "blankets," and "affordable weighted blankets":

You can screen different applicable terms. Just make judge to do it much naturally.

Like this:

3. Use Descriptive and Concise Language

Using descriptive connection successful your title tags helps readers and hunt engines amended understand the discourse of the webpage.

Concise language, connected the different hand, helps you support your title tag betwixt the perfect 50 to 60 characters aliases 550 px long. So your title tags don’t get trim disconnected connected the results page aliases rewritten by Google.

Here are immoderate tips to keeping your title tag descriptive and concise:

• Use elemental connection to picture the page content
• Avoid repeating words aliases adding unnecessary details
• Don’t usage each caps, arsenic uppercase letters return up much abstraction and tin make the title harder to read
• Only see your marque sanction if it’s necessary
• Use symbols for illustration “&” alternatively of “and” to prevention space
• Choose narrower separators for illustration colons (:) aliases pipes (|) alternatively of hyphens (-) aliases dashes (—) to prevention space

For example, if you’re penning a blog station astir fittingness tips for beginners:

❌ Too vague: "Fitness Tips"

❌ Too agelong and includes unnecessary phrases: "The 10 Most Amazing Fitness Tips for Beginners Who Want to Exercise astatine Home"

✅ Good: "Fitness Tips for Beginners: Easy Workouts & Nutrition Advice"

This improved title tag entices users to click. And provides hunt engines pinch much-needed discourse astir the webpage.

4. Make Your Title Tag and H1 Similar

Make your title tag and H1 tag similar, if not the same, truthful arsenic not to confuse hunt engines and readers.

The H1 tag is an HTML heading tag utilized to create the main title aliases item the superior taxable of a webpage.

It appears connected the webpage itself arsenic the visible header for users. Like this:

If a searcher clicks connected a title tag connected the results page and lands connected a page pinch a drastically different H1 tag, they mightiness get confused. Which isn’t the champion personification experience.

Bonus: Find Title Tag Issues connected Your Site

Find issues pinch your website's title tags (and different important tract elements) utilizing Semrush’s Site Audit tool.

The instrumentality identifies the pursuing title tag problems:

• Duplicate title tags: Occurs erstwhile 2 aliases much pages person the aforesaid title
• Missing title tags: Identifies pages without immoderate title
• Too agelong aliases excessively short title tags: Flags title tags that transcend aliases autumn short of the perfect length

To commencement monitoring issues, motorboat the instrumentality and spell done the setup process (if you haven’t already).

Then, spell to the “Issues” tab. And hunt for “title tag” to spot if your tract has immoderate errors related to title tags.

Click connected "Why and really to hole it" adjacent to each rumor to get elaborate instructions connected really to resoluteness it.

Optimize Your Title Tags and Improve Your On-Page SEO

Optimizing webpages for hunt is astir acold much than title tag SEO.

Follow our on-page SEO checklist to make judge you don’t miss a thing.

Or get tailored recommendations pinch Semrush’s On Page Checker.